News and perspective on public policy issues affecting Washington's economy and quality of life, brought to you by the Economic Opportunity Institute.
Finnish students are among the best in the world. Their success has come through a system that would seem unorthodox here in the United States: no standardized testing, no private schools, fewer hours in school, teacher autonomy, full national funding, and equality in education, among other things. This document, prepared for a November 2012 conference […]
Finland looks like the ultimate slacker. Children start school later, have less homework, and log fewer hours in the classroom. But don’t be fooled. Finnish students score first in the world in science, and second in the world in math.
Washington has fallen behind other states in our commitment to funding our K-12 public education system. Data just released by the U.S. Census Bureau show Washington slipped to 46th place among the 50 states plus the District of Columbia in public school spending in the 2009-10 school year, one spot lower than last year. When measured against total […]
Every student learns the American mantra from their teachers and parents: work hard, play by the rules, and you’ll have a chance to get ahead. This month’s crop of graduating high school seniors is powerful evidence that Washington’s students do step up to their responsibilities. But we (voters and legislators alike) have defaulted on our […]
